Who painted The Mass of Saint Gregory?

The Mass of Saint Gregory was painted by German 15th Century in 1475.

Where can I see The Mass of Saint Gregory?

The Mass of Saint Gregory is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Mass of Saint Gregory?

The Mass of Saint Gregory is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

The Mass of Saint Gregory

German 15th Century , 1475

The Mass of Saint Gregory is an ink print by the Renaissance artist German 15th Century. It dates from 1475 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The work, titled The Mass of Saint Gregory, is a hand‑coloured woodcut print. Its composition presents a priest in a tall hat raising his arms above a gathering, with a kneeling figure at the foreground and a distant figure in a red robe visible through a small opening. The image relies on flat areas of green, brown, yellow and red, outlined by stark black lines.

Subject & Meaning

The scene depicts a liturgical moment associated with Saint Gregory, emphasizing the act of worship and the priest’s elevated role. The kneeling supplicant and the outstretched figure in red suggest intercession and divine presence, reinforcing the devotional purpose of the image for a medieval audience.

Technique & Style

Executed as a woodcut, the design was carved into a wooden block, inked, and pressed onto paper. After printing, the sheet was hand‑coloured with pigments such as green, red lake, tan and yellow, creating a vivid yet flat visual effect. The bold contours and limited palette are characteristic of early 15th‑century printmaking, facilitating easy reproduction.

History & Provenance

Woodcut prints like this were popular in the 1400s because their relatively simple production allowed for wide distribution among the faithful. While specific ownership records are absent, the piece likely circulated as a devotional image within ecclesiastical or private collections of the period.